Effects of Varying Levels of Lemon Grass Leaf Meal on Performance, Haematology and Serum Biochemical Indices of Broilers

Abstract

A total of two hundred unsexed broiler chicks aged two weeks were used for six weeks feeding trial to evaluate growth performance, hematology, and serum biochemistry. In this study, broilers chicks were fed dietary lemon grass leaf meal at inclusion levels of T1control (0.00%), T2 (1.50%), T3 (2.25%) and T4 (3.75 %). The weighed broilers were distributed at random among the four treatment diets. A completely randomized experimental design was used, and each treatment was replicated five times with ten broilers per replicate. Experimental birds were provided experimental starter and finisher diets ad-libitum throughout the experimental period at weeks 2 to 4 and 5 to 7 respectively. The experiment revealed that weekly feed intake for week 2, 3, 4 and 6 was significantly affected (P<0.05) except week five. The daily weight gain followed similar pattern, however significant difference were observed only in week 3, 4 and 7 in all the treatment groups. There were significant (P<0.05) differences among the dietary groups in week 4, 6 and 7 in terms of feed conversion ratio. White blood cells value of birds fed on control diet 286.07x 109 /dl is similar to 283.37 and 268.67x 109 /dl for T3 and T4. Neutrophil values 14%, 19%,18% and 20% for T1, T2, T3 and T4 were statistically significant (P<0.05) indicating that birds were challenged with increasing levels of lemon grass leaf meal beyond 3.75%. The results of this study indicate that birds fed with 1.5% of dietary lemon grass meal was the best among diets with lemon grass and comparable with the control group in terms of daily weight gain. This implies that birds fed with 1.5% level lemon grass leaf meal (LGLM) was able to utilize the experimental diet better than other treatment groups and without detrimental effects.